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Article Dans Une Revue Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America Année : 2000

Auditory Sensitivity Provided by Self-tuned Critical Oscillations of Hair Cells

Thomas Duke
  • Fonction : Auteur
Jacques Prost

Résumé

We introduce the concept of self-tuned criticality as a general mechanism for signal detection in sensory systems. In the case of hearing, we argue that active amplification of faint sounds is provided by a dynamical system which is maintained at the threshold of an oscillatory instability. This concept can account for the exquisite sensitivity of the auditory system and its wide dynamic range, as well as its capacity to respond selectively to different frequencies. A specific model of sound detection by the hair cells of the inner ear is discussed. We show that a collection of motor proteins within a hair bundle can generate oscillations at a frequency which depends on the elastic properties of the bundle. Simple variation of bundle geometry gives rise to hair cells with characteristic frequencies which span the range of audibility. Tension-gated transduction channels, which primarily serve to detect the motion of a hair bundle, also tune each cell by admitting ions which regulate the motor protein activity. By controlling the bundle's propensity to oscillate, this feedback automatically maintains the system in the operating regime where it is most sensitive to sinusoidal stimuli. The model explains how hair cells can detect sounds which carry less energy than the background noise.

Dates et versions

hal-00120752 , version 1 (18-12-2006)

Identifiants

Citer

Sebastien Camalet, Thomas Duke, Frank Julicher, Jacques Prost. Auditory Sensitivity Provided by Self-tuned Critical Oscillations of Hair Cells. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America, 2000, 97 issue 7, pp.3183-3188. ⟨hal-00120752⟩
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